Waratahs coach Ewen McKenzie has withdrawn from the race for the Wallaby coaching position.

McKenzie cited two reasons for not chasing the job, made available by the Australian Rugby Union after it sacked Eddie Jones last month.

“The best interests of my family and the fact that I’ve got unfinished business at NSW have led to this decision,” McKenzie said in a statement. “I notified the ARU via telephone yesterday that I would not be submitting an application at this time.”

McKenzie, who took the Waratahs to last year’s Super 12 final, said he still hoped to become Wallaby coach one day.

“It’s a very big decision for me to make and one that I did not take lightly.

“But when the Wallabies joined the rest of our squad on the country tour last week I came to the realisation that I was part of something special and that I could become a much better coach by staying at NSW and finishing what I started two years ago.”